Chicken Lettuce Wraps

This past weekend we finally went to see Wonder Woman, where I learned that I am the kind of woman who refuses to spend $0.99 on a phone app, but will spend $30 on movie theater popcorn and soda.

The movie was amazing. It was so well cast and well written and entertaining that I left the theater with a rush of adrenaline and feeling similar to the way that I assume a teenage boy would feel after watching his first Batman movie.

I had the chance to test out this new rush later that night when Tyler went to pick up fast food Chinese for us down the street. After returning over an hour later, he was frustrated from several mishaps – the restaurant had been overcrowded so the wait itself took forever, the cashier charged us the wrong amount, and after receiving our food, Tyler realized that we had been given an incorrect order and had to go back in to correct it.

The final straw came when he got home and we opened up the take out boxes and realized that they were all half full. I had found my moment.

Not normally the argumentative type, I suddenly became the defender of our Chinese takeout and called up that local Panda Express and engaged in an angry, breathless monologue that included phrases like, “We must right this wrong,” as well as, “…and I am hungry and nearly 8 months pregnant!”

“I demand justice!” I said at one point.

<awkward pause>

“…hello?” I asked.

“Ma’am, we’ve already told you three times that if you just come back up here we’ll replace your order for free.”

Though I was wearing my favorite monkey sweatpants with the hole in the back and an oversized ‘Keep Austin Weird’ shirt, and not my usual, you know, armored mini skirt, I swear my husband looked at me in that moment as though I were Wonder Woman herself.

Our Chinese food cravings continued later into the weekend, and I decided that this time I’d prepare something at home. I pulled up this P.F. Chang’s copycat recipe for Chicken Lettuce Wraps from Lil’ Luna that I had bookmarked a few months earlier. It came together so quickly with ingredients that I had in my pantry (from all the stir frys we make in our house!), and in about 30 minutes I had healthy, flavorful, and restaurant quality lettuce wraps on the table, with leftovers to spare.

With seasoned ground chicken, mushrooms, freshly grated ginger, and water chestnuts to give it that perfect little crunch, we know we’ll be making this again and again. Partly because it was so dang good and partly because I probably should wait a little while before showing my face at Panda Express again.

In a large skillet set over medium heat, add olive oil. When the oil is hot, add onion and cook for 3 minutes, then add mushrooms and continue cooking for 3 more minutes. Add garlic and cook just until fragrant.

Add ground chicken and cook until browned, using a wooden spoon or thick spatula, crumble the chicken as it cooks; drain any excess fat.

Season with pepper, hoisin, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, ginger and Sriracha/sambal oelek. Stir until combined, then add the chestnuts and green onions. Cook for 3-4 minutes then remove from the heat.

Spoon 3-4 tablespoons of the mixture into the center of a lettuce leaf, serve with carrots, crispy rice noodles or chopped toasted nuts.

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Jasmine

Welcome to The Richmond Avenue! I’m Jasmine – wife, new mother, pup-mom, accountant, and lover of all things pasta. Some of my favorite moments in life revolve around food, family, and friends, so I created a site to share recipes and stories in celebration of those moments. Read More…